Type-writing machine.



E. E1 FOWLER. TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 27, 1915.

Patented Mar. 7, 1916.

WITNESSES V l I 1VEN FOR= BY V ATTO NEY.

EWELL E. FOWLER, OF EAST POINT,

GEORGIA, ASSIGNOR TO UNDERWOOD TYPE- WRITER COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.,A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

TYPE-WRITING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 1, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EwnLL E. FOWLER, a

citizen of the United States, residing in East Point, in the county ofFulton and State of Georgia, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Type-Writing Machines, of which the following is aspecification.

The present invention relates to devices for guiding and holdingwork-pieces as the same are fed and inscribedon the platen of atypewriting machine.

More particularly, the invention relates to guides and holders for smallwork-pieces, such as labels and cards, which are not easily positionedand held in typewriting machines as ordinarily equipped.

An object of the invention is to provide a work-piece guide and holderwhich shall engage the work-piece above and below the printing line, sothat no matter how small the work-piece, it shall be held in placeagainst the platen when being written upon and fed, and may be writtenupon practically to the very upper and lower edges thereof; the holdernevertheless being of such structure that it in no wise interferes withthe types or other parts of the machine,- and may be readilyapplied toand removed from a standard machine without displacement of any of theparts usually found on such machines.

A further object of the invention is to have a holder of the characterdescribed, which shall be flexible and shall exert a spring pressure onthe work-piece on the platen, such that the work-piece is firmly grippedwith equal pressure at substantially all points where itengages theholder, and. is therefore not subjected to twisting and distortion whenbeing fed on the platen.

It .is an obiect of the invention to have the holder readily releasablefrom the platen to permit of easy removal and insertion of thework-pieces; and in this connection it is a feature of the inventionthatthe holder may be mounted for movement to and from the platen as a unitwith the pressure or feed rolls usually found in typewriting ma chines.v

A feature of the invention is a spring device, which becomes effectivewhen the pressure rolls are moved to working position for assuring aclose and highly resilient bearing of the holder on the platen.

It is a feature of the invention that the holder 1n I10 wise curtails orinterferes with the function and utility of the usual paper shelf in thefeeding of the work-pieces forward under theplaten from the'rearthereof; but, on the other hand, is of such strucand that it is of suchshape, and is so mount-' ed, that it may be made heavy enough to holdthick cards.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the holder proper is. inthe form of a plate or frame, bent to the contour of the platen, andhaving side reaches which cross the printing line, andarecross-connected above and below the printing line,

there being sufiicient space between these side pieces for the line ofwriting on the label. The holder has a spring loop formed therein bymeans of which it may be sprung onto the rod which ordinarily carriesthe feed rolls, and it may be thus detachably secured to this rodbetween any of the rolls thereon; and has movement with the rolls to andfrom the platen when the usual key for shifting such rolls is operated.Below the loop therein, the holder is continued in the form of a springfinger or tail piece, which, on movement of the pressure roll rod towardthe platen, engages a fixed stop and thus swings the holder on said rodas a hinge, into close and highly resilient engagement with the platen.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective front View of aplaten frame of an Underwood front-strike typewriting machine, equippedwith the label holder of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a view in endelevation of the apparatus shown in Fig.

1, except that the frame and certain other parts are broken away forclearer illustration of the label holder; the pressure rolls and labelholder being shown in working position. Fig. 3 is a view similar to thatof Fig. 2, except that the pressure rolls and label holder are shown asreleased from the platen. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the labelholder looking at the inside or rear face thereof.

Referring to the drawings, types 1 strike upon the front side of aplaten 2,'vvhich is revolubly mounted by an axle 3 in a pair of ends 4,which are connected by a paper shelf.

11, these rolls being arranged at intervals along their shafts. Theshaft 10 is carried by a pair of arms 12 pressed towardthe platen by aspring 13, and the shaft 11 by a pair of arms 14 pressed toward theplaten by'springs 15. The springs 13 and 15 are secured to a rod 16which rigidly connects the ends of the platen frame, and on which thearms 12 and 14 are free to rock. Fingers 17 form bell cranks with thearms 12, and fingers 18 form bell cranks with the arms 14; the fingers17 and 18 being held by the springs 13 and 15 against opposite sides offlats or cams 19 on a rock shaft 20. For releasing the pressure rollsfrom the platen to permit of easy insertion and removal of work-pieces,the shaft 20 has integral therewith an arm 21 connected by a link 22 toan arm 23 fast on a stud shaft 24 which is mounted to be rocked on theright hand end plate 4 by means of a finger piece 25 on an arm 26 alsofast to the shaft 24. Depression of the key 25 rocks the shaft 20,causing the flats 19 to rock the arms 12 and 14 so that the pressurerolls are thrown from Fig. 2 to Fig. 3,position. When the key 25 isthrown up, the springs 13 and 15 return the rolls to Fig. 2 position.The mechanism thus far described is commonly found 'on Underwoodtypewriting machines.

The holder (see Fig. 4), is shown as a plate preferably formed of asingle piece of resilient material. The label holding portion 27 isshown as a substantially rectangular frame, between which and theplaten, the label L is held. A loop 28 in the holder serves as a hingefor rockably supporting the holder on the shaft 10 of the front pressurerolls. The loop 28 is contracted at 29 so that when the holder issprung. over the shaft 10, it is prevented from dropping off of thelatter. The part 28 may have slits or incisions 30 to increase itsflexibility. A tail portion or finger 31 of the holder, which is curvedout at the front to clear the rod 16 and arms 14, extends to shaft 20and bears against the front of the latter to hold the label holding,upper portion 27 against the platen.

The holder, (see Fig. 2), is curved in conformity with the platen, sothat it may bear with equal firmness on the label from a point wellbelow the printing line to a point well above the printing line. Thewriting is made in the space 32 between the sides 33 of the holder, andthis space is of such size that a large part of the label is presentedto the operators view. The long bearing surfaces, provided by the sidereaches 33 of the holder, obviate the necessity of having the labelgripped along its lower edge, and, therefore the label may be fed up topermit writing to be made to the very bottom thereof. On the other hand,the lower reach 34 of the holder, and the upper reach 35 thereof, actingin conjunction or singly, according to the position to which the labelhas been fed, serve to hold the label flat between the side reaches 33.

The length of the hinge portion 28 is such that the holder may bedetachably secured to the shaft 10 between any two of the rolls 8. Theholder is cut away at 35 to clear the forward end of the guiding finger7 of the paper shelf; and, when the holder is in Fig. 2 position, itforms with the paper shelf, a continuous guide for the workpiece. Theholder is movable with the pressure rolls, from Fig. 2 to Fig. 3position, to permit of'easy insertion and removal of labels. Thisfollows from the fact that the holder is carried by the shaft 10 whichalso carries the front rolls 8, and which is shifted to and from theplaten by the key 25. The finger 31 of the holder is so shaped that whenthe parts are in Fig. 3 position, the

holding part 27 is slightly removed from the face of the platen.

As the rod 10 is shifted toward the platen to apply the pressure rollsto the latter, the finger 31 is rocked forward by reason of the pressureof the latter on the shaft 20, thus causing the holder frame- 27 to berocked backward into close engagement with the platen. Furthermore, asthe finger 31 is flexible. and resilient, it flexes even after the frame27 is against the platen, and by being held in this flexible position,it effects and maintains a firm spring pressure of the frame 27 on thework-piece. Movement of the rod 10 from the platen, releases the frame27 from the action of the finger 31, and permits the frame to assume aposition in which a passage between it and the platen is provided foreasy removal and insertion of the labels or cards. The top edge of theholder is flared out from the platen at 36 to form a mouth through whichlabels may be fed to printing position between the holder i to printingposition in the usual way over the shelf 5, and in order that, when sofed, they may not catch on the lower edge of the top reach of the frame27, the latter is flared out at 37.

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the invention, andportions of the improvements may be used without others.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a'typewriting machine, a revoluble platen,- a platen carriage,types, a workpiece holder opposed to the face of the platen from one .tothe other side of the printing line and having an opening thereinthrough which the types strike, a rod in fixed working position on thecarriage, a spring loop in said holder by means of which the holder maybe detachably sprung onto said rod, a flexible resilient finger formingpart of said holder, and a stop against which said finger bears, wherebythe setting of the holder on said rod is such as to cause it to bearagainst said opposed face of the platen.

2.'In a typewriting machine, a revoluble platen, a platen carriage,types, a work-piece holder opposed to the face of the platen from one tothe other side of the printing line and having an opening thereinthrough which the types strike, a rod in fixed working position on thecarriage, pressure rolls on said rod, a spring loop in said holder bymeans of which the holder may be detachably sprung onto said rod, aflexible resilient finger forming part of said holder, a stop againstwhich said finger bears, whereby the setting of the holder on said rodis such as to cause it to bear against said opposed face of the platen,and means for shifting said rod to relieve the pressure of said holderand rolls on the platen.

3. In a front-strike typewriting machine, a revoluble platen, a platencarriage, types, a work-piece holder opposed to the front face of theplaten and comprising a frame having side members which extend acrossthe printing line, between which side members the writing is made, saidholder having also cross members connecting said side members above andbelow the printing line, a support for the holder on which the holder ishin ed in fixed working position below the printing line, a finger onthe holder, and a stop against which said finger bears and by means ofwhich the holder is so held on its hinge as to cause said frame membersto bear against said opposed face of the platen.

4. In a a revoluble platen, a platen carriage, types, a work-pieceholder opposed to the front face of the platen and comprising a framefront-strike typewriting machine,

having side members which extend across the printing line, between whichside members the writing is made, a support for the holder on which theholder may stand in fixed workingposition below the printing line, aspring loop on said holder by means of which the holder may bedetachably sprung onto said support, a finger on the holder, and a stopagainst which said finger bears and by means of which the holder is soheld on its hinge as to cause said frame members to bear against saidopposed face of the platen.

5. In a front-strike typewriting machine, a revoluble platen, a platencarriage, types, a work-piece holder opposed .to the front face of theplaten, and comprising a frame having side members which extend acrossthe printing line between which side members the writing is made, a rodon the carriage below the printing line, pressure rolls spaced apartalong said rod, means forming part of said holder whereby the holder maybe detachably'secured to said rod in any of the spaces between saidrolls, and means for effecting a resilient pressure of the holderagainst the platen.

6. In a front-strike typewriting machine, a revoluble platen, a platencarriage, types, a work-piece holder opposed to the front face of theplaten and comprising a frame having side members which extend acrossthe printing line, between which side members the writing is made, a rodon thecarriage below the printing line, pressure rolls spaced apartalong said rod, means forming part of said holder whereby the holder maybe detachably and pivotally secured to said rod between said rolls,means for shifting the rod to and from the platen, and a stop forswinging the holder on said rod into engagement with the platen when therod is shifted toward the platen.

7. In a front-strike typewriting machine, a revoluble platen, a platencarriage, types, a paper shelf on the carriage extending from the rearof the platen down under the same and upward to a point below theprinting line, a work-piece holder opposed to the 'front face of theplaten and comprising a frame having side members which extend acrossthe printing line, between which side members the writing is made, and across member connecting said side members below the printing line, saidcross member being notched to receive the forward end of said shelfwhereby said shelf and holder form a continuous guiding surface.

8. In a typewriting machine, a revoluble platen, a feed roll, a rod onwhich the feed roll is mounted, a support for said roll, a shaft adaptedto he turned to shift said support toward and from the platen, workpieceholder mounted on said rod, and a spring for moving said rod toward theplaten, there v causing the holder engage said. shaft bythe latter to berocked above the printing line, said holder having an opening thereinthrough which the types strike, and means for shifting said rod torelieve and apply the pressure of the holder and feed roll on theplaten, said holder being flared outward from the platen at its upperedge to form a mouth through which work-pieces may be introduced betweenthe holder and the platen when the pressure of the holder on the platenis relieved.

EVVELL E. FOWLER.

Witnesses:

ROYAL A. LETT, M. E. GASTON.

